How to find your first VIP Flight Attendant role

By Patricia Green
One of the key things any potential VIP/Corporate flight attendant should know is that you should always expect the unexpected! As a starting point be aware that contracts are rarely binding, and you can be out of a job in an instant – it is just the way it is!

The work is rarely long term or secure, and for most private jet operators, a flight attendant on average is there for around 6 months and maybe up to a year. You will always be chasing the next contract and may also want to consider freelance privately in between contracts. You may wonder if it worth giving up a full time cabin crew position for a VIP flight attendant role – it is great experience, interesting and well paid, if you can cope with the job insecurity.

I often am asked how to find a Corporate/VIP Flight Attendant job. It is tough and mostly you just have to be in the right place at the right time! Most VIP/Corporate jobs require first class or VIP flying for at least 2 years and up to 5 years. It is also not a legal requirement for private jets with under 18 passengers to have flight attendants on board, so there are even less jobs around and competition is fierce. It is quite an elite, small world and the industry is very private, so most jobs are a secret and by word of mouth only! So, where do you look for your first VIP job? There are various operators around the world with private jet charters and/or privately owned managed aircraft. Research online and you will find a lot more, especially the smaller operators which are a good way of getting into the industry. You could also register with the agencies for another chance of getting a foot in the door and occasionally you will find jobs advertised on such websites as jobs.cabincrew.com or aviationjobsearch.com.

Work on your CV
In most cases you will be sending out your CV and photos to the Chief Cabin Attendant/Cabin Crew Manager. Make sure your CV stands out about the rest as most operators are inundated with emails after advertising a job. In fact one Cabin Crew Manager I know, usually will only look at the first 20 or so that come in as she doesn’t have the time to sift through hundreds! So the moral of the story is, if you see something advertised – apply fast or your CV may not be seen. Also be aware of the 20 second rule – your CV will only be scanned for 20-30 seconds so make sure all the important information is near the top. That means mentioning aircraft types, language skills, first class experience etc.

You can attach a photo to your CV and make sure you have a good quality head and shoulders photo as well as a full length one as most operators will ask for these. You may be asked to send a letter of motivation or cover letter – in this you must sell yourself and tailor it to the operator’s requirements and include a brief profile of your flying experience. If you are a Russian or Mandarin speaker (very desirable right now!) or have an Indian work visa for example and that is what they are looking for, then you have to catch their attention immediately.

Watch out for fraudsters
Finally – buyer beware! Not all advertisements are real, use your judgment wisely and do research the operator well. If there is no information online or it looks shady, then it probably is! Beware of gmail/hotmail email addresses for example, as these are sometimes fake ‘private airlines’ and the ‘employer’ will want you to send your passport copy – for fraud purposes. Only send your passport if you are completely sure. Also, some operators now choose to interview by Skype, which is risky – I have seen many ‘operators’ out there recently who are looking for flight attendants, but not for work purposes! In most cases, a well established professional operator will ask you to attend a personal interview with their Chief Cabin Attendant/Chief Pilot/Client Representative.

Do research well and prepare for your new career carefully and it should be a successful and interesting experience!